Syria Security Chief Visits Egypt

Local Editor

Syrian Security Services Chief Ali Mamluk held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo over the weekend on a rare visit to the country, Syrian state media reported.

Mamluk’s Saturday visit came "at the invitation of" Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel, the official SANA news agency said.

It came just one week after a surprise visit to Damascus by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who became the first Arab leader to visit the Syrian capital since the conflict began in March 2011.

Mamluk discussed with Kamel topics of common concern including "political, security and counterterrorism issues", SANA added.

It was the second official visit by the secretive Syrian security official to the Egyptian capital since the outbreak of Syria's seven-year war.

His last trip to Cairo was in October 2016.

Mamluk was appointed as the head of national security in 2012 after a major explosion in Damascus killed four top security officials.

The man is a key member of President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle and is blacklisted under EU sanctions.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team